With the recent Parafield cluster just under control, I reckon SA should also follow the path of these states and territories and declare the region a hotspot and mandate quarantine or ban travel for those from the region.
3 Likes
As long as SA and QLD donât be stupid and ban everyone from NSW
1 Like
Agreed. Need to be that region only for the time-being unless things change. Having said that I think itâs critical to enforcing restrictions ASAP.
If the cases hit say over 30 tomorrow there is a major issue and they should stop non essential travel from the Northern beaches to get a hold of the situation. Thatâs likely to happen and Iâm from Sydneyâs Inner West and have plans and flights booked to QLD next week. QLD is very likely to block all of Sydney but keep regional NSW open like they have before, which makes no sense as anyone can travel to the Northern Beaches lie and get into QLD.
Update from DHHS
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/health-advice-nsw-travellers-arriving-in-victoria-18-december-2020
The logical approach right now would be for NSW to restrict movement within the Northern suburbs this weekend and maybe even take a similar approach to SA in these areas of quick restrictions for a few days until they have the full picture. Then other states declaring them as a hotspot for travel I think are making the right call rather than blanketing travel bans for the whole state.
3 Likes
Gladys has told ABC that there are more cases identified over night and to brace themselves. News conference at 11.
2 Likes
She also mentioned that genomic sequencing shows that the virus is an international strain, so itâs unlikely that this has been bubbling around for a while.
Finding more cases today is to be expected. NSW are hopefully taking the Vic approach of isolating contacts and the contacts of contacts.
1 Like
I wonder if it is the same strain from the hotel worker that tested positive a few weeks ago. There were no cases that popped up at the time, which I found concerning, yet she traveled on public transport. It would only take one person from the Northern Beaches to contract that virus and spread it through the community like this.
It sounds like there are a lot more cases there from Gladys. I am expecting the cluster to have grown significantly overnight. What a disaster just before christmas.
Itâs a hard call. At what point do we say, look, cancel the overseas flights. Australians have had all year to return home now. Itâs clear itâs sneaking back in because of the overseas flights.
2 Likes
There would surely have to be a link somewhere with either that security worker a couple weeks ago or the more recent airport bus driver.
This is going to mean a lot if people isolating over Christmas and New Years.
1 Like
I think what all governments need to remember though is this virus doesnât stop spreading over Christmas. They need to go hard and go hard quickly even if that means Christmas is ruined for some this year.
This is not an option. You canât deny citizens from their own country. Itâs up to the Govt to continually implement tougher measures around Hotel Quarantine.
3 Likes
Brad Hazzard telling Chris Smith on 2GB heâs not worried about the outbreak and that they have it under control
Of course itâs an option. Anything to keep the community safe. So be it if that means closing the international border completely.
1 Like
I know it has been flagged by others in the media and in politics but its clear there are significant risks with hotel quarantine. There are other options, they arenât ideal either, but there are other option. You canât deny entry to citizens of Australia. We have immigration laws that prevent this.
Although I think NSW need to ask the federal government for a break of hosting international travelers in hotel quarantine until they sort this out. There are clearly issues with their hotel quarantine which is evident from the continuous local cases and clusters that have been popping up over the last 6 months or so. They have been lucky up until this point that it hasnât spread too quickly. But if you get one of these new strains from the UK that spread much more rapidly then we could be in some serious trouble here in Australia.
1 Like
Theyâve had a whole year to return though.
Maybe they need to streamline this so flights coming in only go to one place. Say Darwin. Out of everyoneâs way. Isolate there then they can domestically fly home once theyâve tested negative.
3 Likes
And some people have been trying to return for the 9 months its not like it has been as easy as book a flight and return. There are many reasons people havenât been able to travel as well. I have a friend in Turkey who has been waiting since June to return back to Australia. Her father had cancer and she couldnât leave him to get back.
Christmas Island and Whyalla has been suggested by some Labour politicians. I am not sure they can hold enough people.
The fact is there is no fool proof system. Hotel Quarantine significantly mitigates the risk but there is always a risk during a pandemic. We had cases pop up in both NZ and Adelaide, two places that have otherwise managed this perfectly. As long as we learn new things each time this happen and put in tighter measures around those itâs progress but it will never be perfect.
1 Like
I agree, time for some ruthless pragmatism, so much at stake. The benefits of having Australians return does not outweigh the risks they pose of an outbreak.
There should at least be a extreme vetting process. Strict compassionate or medical exemptions. People that want to return for employment or visiting family should not be allowed.
The people returning now better not be expats thinking of going back overseas after Xmas.
1 Like